Asylum, a 1972 documentary filmed in the therapeutic community established by radical psychiatrist R.D. Laing, is available for download via this bittorrent tracker.
Laing wanted to establish a community for helping those who were experiencing mental distress without recourse to the uneven power balances present in mainstream psychiatry, where patients can be forcibly detained or drugged.
The result was the Archway Community, where residents were free to come and go and lived together with psychiatrists.
The film is largely without a narrative structure and simply captures some of the people and situations that occur during a seven week period.
The first thing that struck me was how bleak, chaotic and depressing it looked, far from the utopian vision of its founder. The residents are treated with respect, however, and are genuinely listened to, although the surroundings can hardly be described as luxurious.
The film is quite difficult to get hold of, so finding it online is a rare treat.
It isn’t necessarily an easy film to watch, although it gives a fascinating insight into one of the most influential and misunderstood people and projects from the heyday of radical psychiatry.
The film shouldn’t be confused with the other 1972 Asylum which was a low budget horror flick starring Peter Cushing and Britt Ekland.
Link to webpage with torrent of movie.
Link to information about the film.
Link to Wikipedia page on Bittorrent.
Mind Hacks 